painteds on eggs!

[Jayburd]

hey all,
noticed both painteds were out of the nest when I was sitting back watching the birds sort through a new bit of brush I just put in, and took the opportunity to have a quick squiz (no fingers!). Saw 4 eggs, possible another one wedged up the back!! So excited
couple of quick questions, I'm filling out my record sheets and I was wondering how long painteds sit for, and given there are 4 eggs (I'm not counting the other because I'm not 100% sure it was an egg, pretty hard to see inside without touching the nest) how long ago would she laid the first one? From what I remember they lay an egg a day?
Kept watching them for a bit longer and was happy to see the male bird fly straight to the nest after a feed of soaked seed and resume his incubation duties.
Which raises another question. I haven't seen the hen near the nest even once since I noticed it last week, it's always the cock who flies out in the morning when I'm doing their water dish... is she just lazy or am I missing something?
Thanks!
J

[SamDavis]

Good news - hopefully they'll fledge a few for you.
I'd say 1 egg a day is pretty typical and the usual about 2 weeks for incubation. If you only noticed the nest last week then maybe they've only just started to incubate. Clearly the hen's been in the nest - no doubt she'll settle down and do her share soon or maybe you've just missed her.

[Jayburd]

Thanks Sam
Yeah I probably just missed her just wondering if that was normal, first time with these guys...
Thanks for the info I'll finish off tidying away my records

[spanna]

I always find that it's the cockbirds that are sitting when I do my rounds in the morning, just timing I reckon. The hens are hungry and will have a change in nesting duty quite early in the morning, usually before I'm awake
Went out yesterday to check the nest of Maverick, my hand reared painted cockbird, and his super tame hen (who I really should find a name for, she's great!!) and he wouldnt leave! Managed to poke him up and he had at least 3 pink little wriggly things under him!!! He's so funny, him and his mate have ZERO fear of me, always makes me smile. Great feel good moment knowing that I rescued him and now he's a great dad himself

I've found they're very predictable in laying an egg a day, usually start sitting when the second last egg is laid. Let us know how they go!

[Diane]

Just had a look at my breeding records with one particular pair, hatching was usually 14 days after the pair start to sit. From hatching to fledging varied from 20 - 23 days over several clutches over 3 years. The slightly longer fledging times happened in the cooler months.

[Mortisha]

That is a good story spanna
Painteds do seem to be little characters, a hand reared one would be double the fun

[Diane]

Went out yesterday to check the nest of Maverick, my hand reared painted cockbird, and his super tame hen (who I really should find a name for, she's great!!)

What about Annabelle? That is the name of Jodie Fosters character in the movie.

[spanna]

He was actually named after the Top Gun film, his brother (also hand reared at the same time) is Goose

Apparently Charlie Blackwood was his major crush in the movie, so she might be a Charlie!
Have also just been to pick up 6 (yes, 6) spare hens to pair up with (and sell) some of the 7 lonely cocks sitting in my holding aviary, and some of them have LOVELY colour, so am going to pair one of them with Goose, who is a stunning little man himself. Very excitedly looking forward to the young of that pairing! May have to call her Carole, who was Goose's wife in the film.

Sorry to hijack your thread Jay...

[Jayburd]

no problem spanna, love hearing about those two I remember when they were just eggs
Finally saw the hen come out of the nest today so they must be sitting I think... Be fantastic to get some babies out!!
They're really going through the soaked seed, in fact all the birds are pretty much living off it now, only occasionally making a detour to the dry seed bowl.
Saw my cordon dancing wi an emu feather today, and my gouldian doing a jig energetic little fellas eh?
thanks Di it's been getting a bit cooler this way so maybe itll be a bit longer.
In that huge downpour of rain that lasted a few weeks I rigged up an army of towels and blankets to keep the floor dry, and the fact that it was dry the whole time plus the green seed the rain triggered is perhaps why they have gone to nest.

[djb78]

Good going jayburd, I love my painteds with about 30 young on the perch, glad they stopped. Can't add anymore to thus than keep doing what your doing and you should see young on the perch (I hope) maybe a few mealies every now and then would help a bit and yes keep the floor dry as they aren't to keen on a damp floor.